November 2002
High Society, Law, Media, Police After months of speculation Castelan have finally admitted that they have a file on the Crimson Jihad (sic) group. The announcement came shortly after the arrest of an individual who was allegedly involved in criminal activities against the group. The individual, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is believed to be a member of G8 Suppress. The individual will continue to be held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act until such time as he is formally charged, although it is believed that he was in possession of a dangerous weapon at the time of his arrest. Bureaucracy, Finance, High Society, Industry Whilst Castelan have admitted that they have a file on the Crimson Jihad (sic) and that they have begun surveillance on a number of its members, the news comes as little surprise to some in the business community. Prominent figures in both local government and finance have now publicly stated that they are members and that far from being a shadowy organisation involved in illegal activities, they are in fact a charity group. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen, but given that this is the first public statement from the group after months of speculation the question remains, why would a legitimate organisation have to hide itself from public scrutiny? Occult, University Why Crimson Jihad (sic)? Although many have speculated that the group had Islamic links when it first surfaced in the area, this now seems unlikely. Others have commented on the manner in which the name is written and primarily the use of (sic) in context. A number of scholars at the city’s university have stated that the phraseology could be intentional, a message to some unknown group. However, whilst much of the conjecture has revolved around the use of Jihad (sic), others have noted that it is the use of Crimson that is potentially worrying, as the colour red is traditionally associated with blood. Law, Media, Police, Politics Following last months decision not to charge Castelan with Improper Conduct with regard the joint operation with government forces, a consortium of local pressure groups, led by Sean Bowden, have begun a series of civil actions. The group, Peer 19, was devised during Bowden’s convalescence. Although Bowden has retired from official politics, he is believed to have been in discussion with a number of industrial concerns in the intervening months. In addition to their spokesmen, the group also contains a number of church leaders and human rights groups, all of whom have objected to Castelan’s methods in the past. Whether the group will have any effect upon Castelan’s policies remains to be seen, but given the reported links between Crimson Jihad (sic) and Castelan, the presence of a conflicting voice within the city’s halls is a positive sign. Bureaucracy, Media, Politics The re-emergence of Sean Bowden as a political figure locally has once again thrown the question of who shall head the local government into free-fall. Matters are further complicated by the recent elections for a Mayor in the city and the conflicts created between their office and the existing council. Bowden has created his own political party in the past, and was elected on a “Stoke First!” principal, and analysts have speculated that the group Peer 19 may be the beginning of a new local party. Another person who has re-emerged onto the local scene is Harvey Mayne, the Labour Councillor who preceded Bowden. Mayne was retired; again following stress related attacks thought to be the result of the job. With the likelihood of Bowden, Mayne and reportedly Peter Hendleson facing each other in forthcoming elections, the months to come are sure to provide a sense of high political drama. Media, Police, Street, Underworld After months of relative quiet, the war between Sandernacht and the Gambino’s seems to have intensified once again. The current violence seems to have been sparked by an alleged infringement on the Gambino’s territory by parties linked to Sandernacht. Castelan have so far remained removed from the situation, arguing that neither group has so far been responsible for “Civilian Casualties”. However, investigators from Special Branch who specialise in dealing with organised crime, have pointed that both groups, who have been under surveillance for a number of months now, have been keeping well within the boundaries of their defined territories because of the financial implications of continuing the war. Occult, Street The current violence between Sandernacht and the Gambino’s is not as a result of a dispute over territories, but rather the perceived threat from two other groups that have attempted to gain a foothold in the city. Both Sandernacht and the Gambino’s have stated that they have no involvement with either of the new parties, and are blaming each other for the rise in violence. Little is known at present about either of the new groups, but it is alleged that one of the groups may be using “Voodoo Paraphernalia” in an attempt to scare others away from its territories. Occult, Underworld The emergence of “Voodoo Paraphernalia” in connection with one of the new gangs in the city is of little surprise, both Sandernacht and the Gambino’s are supposed to have occult links in the city. Little is known about Sandernacht, but it is believed that he may be a practitioner in the occult. Media, University Local scholars have admitted they are confused by the emergence of a second burial site, just a few hundred meters from the first, in the grounds of Keele University. The second site shares many of the trappings that were found at the first; however their arrangement shows a much more formalised approach to the burial. What the emergence of two such sites will mean as yet to be judged. However, given the furore that these finds have caused amongst the local academic community, it seems likely that the sites will continue to be of interest for a number of months. Bureaucracy, University The second dig site was uncovered in a most unusual fashion. Although the location was not earmarked for development, it appears that someone began digging in the vicinity anyway. University administrators have yet to ascertain who organised the work, or whether it was part of emergency storm repairs, but whatever the reason, the find has been met with both a sense of wonder and embarrassment. Health, Media, Occult Hospital admissions for persons over the age of seventy have doubled over the past month, as the number of pensioners suffering from sleep disorders rise. So far no reason has been postulated for the mini epidemic, and both General Practitioners and Psychiatric Evaluation Units have failed to come up with a plausible reason. Whilst the city has seen more than its fair share of viral contagion before, mass psychological disorders are far less common. Health, Occult Although it has yet to be released to the media, a common aspect to the cases of sleep deprivation amongst the elderly has been found. All those admitted have experienced dark and troubling dreams, and an associated feeling of fatigue. Also mentioned by more than half of those questioned was the figure of a small, hunched woman surrounded by seven jars, although psychologists have yet to be put any meaning to this element. One line of investigation is the possibility that local television may have been using subliminal imagery, either for advertisement or other more nefarious purposes. Occult Psychics in the area have also reported the emergence of a small, hunched woman in their visions, and the recurring image of seven. Traditional thinking posits that the woman may be either some form of spirit or a witch, although the reason why so many have seen her has yet to be discovered. Bureaucracy, Media, Transport Stoke, Penkull and Basford have all experienced power cuts over the past month. In each case the problem has been traced back to a relay station in Hartshill. On inspection no problems have been detected with the equipment, and despite lengthy and expensive inspection of the connecting cables no problems have been found there either. What is particularly confusing to engineers is the nature of the cuts. In each case it is as if the system has been overwhelmed by demand, although this cannot be the case as modern generators have a significant safety factor built into their capacity. Church, Media Church leaders have criticised a number of local companies, including GAOM, over what they describe as “A blatant and insulting attempt to buy the support of the church”. They added that if the companies wished to be seen in a more favourable light, they would be better of using the money to fund repairs to the damage they have caused to property and the community. Castelan were particularly singled out for attack. Health, Media A city wide vaccination programme has begun, after trials on the flu vaccine were completed. So far, some seventy-percent of the population has been inoculated, with the results so far looking promising.